Traffic to Salem is expected to be significant during the month of October, particularly on weekends. Generally, motorists travel to Salem via Route 114 East. We would strongly discourage your using this route during October weekends. Instead, you are advised to take alternate routes to Salem in order to minimize travel time.

Please note: Essex Street between Hawthorne Boulevard and New Liberty Street will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays in October. Access to the parking garage on weekends will be via Brown Street.

Additional street closures may be made based on public safety needs of the festival.

From / To Route 90 - MassPike

To Salem: Continue on I-90/Masspike East and take Exit 25 (South Boston) and follow signs to rejoin I-90 East to Logan Airport/1A. Follow Route 1A all the way into Salem.From Salem: Take Route 1A South to the Ted Williams Tunnel. From the tunnel take Exit 25 to South Boston surface streets. Take a left on Congress Street, left on West Service Road and right onto the South Boston Bypass Road. Take a right onto northbound Frontage Road to the I-90 West on-ramp.

From Points South

Route 1 North or Route 95 North to Route 129 South. Follow Route 129 South to Route 107 North, and follow into Salem.Route 128 North to Take Exit 44B to Lynn/129 East. Enter Goodwin Circle (Rotary) and take the Salem Street/Peabody exit. Salem Street turns into Lynnfield Street. Lynnfield Street turns into Washington Street. At the intersection with Main Street, take a right, and follow signs to Salem.Take Route 128 North to Exit 28 (Centennial Drive). Follow Centennial Drive and take right on Summit Street. Follow and take left onto Lynnfield Street. Lynnfield Street will turn into Washington Street. At intersection with Main Street, take a right, and follow signs to Salem.Take Route 128 North to Exit 26. Follow Lowell Street through Peabody Square. Lowell Street will turn into Main Street. Follow signs into Salem.

From Points North / Cape Ann

Take Route 128 South to Exit 24. Follow Endicott Street to intersection with Route 35 (Water Street). Take Route 35 South to Route 114 East. Follow Route 114 East into Salem.Take Route 128 South to Exit 22. Take Route 62 East to Route 1A South. Cross bridge, and follow Route 1A South into Salem.Take Route 128 South to Exit 20. Take Route 1A South, and follow into Salem.

From Points North / New Hampshire & Maine

Take I-95 South to Route 128 North. Follow directions above to either Exit 26, 24, 22, or 20 to Salem.Take I-95 South to Route 1 South to Route 114 East. Follow Route 114 East into Salem.Take I-93 South to I-95/Route 128 North. Follow directions above for Route 128 North.

The path to progress isn't always pretty!

There are several construction projects happening and planned in Salem through 2019. These include the expansion of the Peabody Essex Museum, expansion of Salem State University, curb-to-curb improvements of Canal Street, and conclusion of the National Grid Cable Replacement Project.

We know parking in Salem during Haunted Happenings can be frustrating. In addition to the lots and garages listed here, several private lots will be open (cash on entry, between $10 and $20). Please plan for traffic getting in, especially on Saturdays.

BASED ON TRAFFIC AND PARKING DURING THE FIRST THREE WEEKENDS OF OCTOBER, we recommend using public transportation to get to Salem in October. The Salem Ferry serves Salem from Long Wharf in Boston, and Salem is on the Newburyport / Rockport lines of the MBTA Commuter Rail.

There is expanded train service for October 22-23, 29-31, and plenty of parking in the garages at the Lynn (2 stops south) and Beverly (1 stop north) stations.

Salem implemented a new comprehensive parking plan in 2012. If you have visited before, you may find new parking meters and regulations in your favorite parking lots and spots. When you are seeking parking in Salem, please respect our residents and the streets marked Resident-only. Cars will be ticketed ($40 fine) or towed that are illegally parked.

Parking Lots

Some parking lots have multi-space meters and others have conventional meters. The multi-space meters accept coins, bills, and credit cards. The conventional meters only accept coins (nickels, dimes, and quarters). You can also pay for metered parking through the Parking Passport mobile pay app.

Unlimited daily stay: You can stay in the Bridge Street and Church Street West lots for as long as you need. Just be sure to pay for your full stay at the multi-space meters before you walk off the lot.

Four-hour maximum stay: All of the other parking lots are intended for four hour stays or less. The Church Street East and Salem Green lots have multi-space meters. The other lots have conventional meters. If you need to stay for more than four hours, park in the Bridge Street or Church Street West lots, or one of the garages. You can save money, not have to worry about getting a ticket, and avoid having to move your car.

Different parking lots and in Salem have different rates.
$4.00 per day: Bridge Street
$1.00 per hour: Church Street West, Church Street East, and Salem Green
$0.75 per hour: Sewall Street, Front Street, and Klop Alley
$0.50 per hour: Riley Plaza West and Riley Plaza East

Please note: the Church Street Lot will cost $20 cash on entry on October weekends and after 2:00 PM on Halloween.

The Phoenix School, 89 Margin Street, Salem, MA 01970
$20 per car. 40 spaces so come early for the best parking in Salem. The Phoenix School is only a 5 minute walk from downtown. Clean restrooms, warm waiting area, HH booklets, and back road directions out of town are available for parkers only.

The Phoenix School offers Haunted Happenings parking in October on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and Halloween night, beginning October 7. (Oct. 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, and 31). Contact the school for parking opportunities at other times: 978-741-0870.

Bentley Academy Charter School, 1723 Szetela Lane, Salem, MA 01970
The Bentley Academy Charter School PTA is offering Halloween parking with easy access in and out of Salem while avoiding the long delays of downtown traffic. We welcome cars and buses. We also offer maps of Salem to all parkers as well as directions to avoid traffic as you leave town. We are approx. 0.4 miles to the House of Seven Gables and the Salem Common. No overnight parking allowed.

MBTA Commuter Rail Station Parking

Please note: The Salem garage will be closed from 8:00 PM until 1:00 AM on Halloween night. No vehicles will be permitted in or out during that time.

Surface Lot

The City of Salem's surface parking lot next to the MBTA garage and commuter rail station off of Bridge Street in downtown Salem will be Salem resident-only parking on October weekends.

MBTA Stations in Beverly and Lynn

The City of Salem recommends taking the train into Salem during October weekends and Halloween. Parking garages can be found at Beverly Depot (one stop north of Salem) and Lynn Station (two stops south).

Motor Coach and Tour Bus Parking

Salem, Massachusetts welcomes groups! October is peak season in Salem, and parking - especially on the weekends - can be challenging for both cars and buses. Please visit the Groups page for complete parking information.

In addition, Salem's Tour Bus Parking Ordinance was changed in 2016. A new Motor Coach and Tour Bus Guidelines & Route Map brochure will be available in August. New signage and painting are in process. Parking changes are listed here.

Salem Fast Ferry (Boston)

Salem Ferry

As one of the nation’s most historic and haunted cities, Salem in October is a must-visit. Let the Salem Fast Ferry whisk you there from Boston in under an hour.
10 Blaney St. Salem & Long Wharf, Boston | 877-733-9425 | BostonHarborCruises.com

Directions To Salem

Alternate Routes into Salem

Traffic to Salem is expected to be significant during the month of October, particularly on weekends. Generally, motorists travel to Salem via Route 114 East. We would strongly discourage your using this route during October weekends. Instead, you are advised to take alternate routes to Salem in order to minimize travel time.

From / To Route 90 - MassPike

To Salem: Continue on I-90/Masspike East and take Exit 25 (South Boston) and follow signs to rejoin I-90 East to Logan Airport/1A. Follow Route 1A all the way into Salem.From Salem: Take Route 1A South to the Ted Williams Tunnel. From the tunnel take Exit 25 to South Boston surface streets. Take a left on Congress Street, left on West Service Road and right onto the South Boston Bypass Road. Take a right onto northbound Frontage Road to the I-90 West on-ramp.

From Points South

Route 1 North or Route 95 North to Route 129 South. Follow Route 129 South to Route 107 North, and follow into Salem.Route 128 North to Take Exit 44B to Lynn/129 East. Enter Goodwin Circle (Rotary) and take the Salem Street/Peabody exit. Salem Street turns into Lynnfield Street. Lynnfield Street turns into Washington Street. At the intersection with Main Street, take a right, and follow signs to Salem.Take Route 128 North to Exit 28 (Centennial Drive). Follow Centennial Drive and take right on Summit Street. Follow and take left onto Lynnfield Street. Lynnfield Street will turn into Washington Street. At intersection with Main Street, take a right, and follow signs to Salem.Take Route 128 North to Exit 26. Follow Lowell Street through Peabody Square. Lowell Street will turn into Main Street. Follow signs into Salem.

From Points North / Cape Ann

Take Route 128 South to Exit 24. Follow Endicott Street to intersection with Route 35 (Water Street). Take Route 35 South to Route 114 East. Follow Route 114 East into Salem.Take Route 128 South to Exit 22. Take Route 62 East to Route 1A South. Cross bridge, and follow Route 1A South into Salem.Take Route 128 South to Exit 20. Take Route 1A South, and follow into Salem.

From Points North / New Hampshire & Maine

Take I-95 South to Route 128 North. Follow directions above to either Exit 26, 24, 22, or 20 to Salem.Take I-95 South to Route 1 South to Route 114 East. Follow Route 114 East into Salem.Take I-93 South to I-95/Route 128 North. Follow directions above for Route 128 North.

October 2016: Planned Road Closures and Parking Restrictions

The list below outlines the planned and anticipated road closures for October in Salem, including lot closures and traffic impacts from planned special events. The Salem Police will close roadways at any point if they determine it should closed for public safety reasons.

Note that while there are currently road closures planned downtown for Monday, October 31, starting no later than 4:00 p.m., there is a high likelihood that some closures will be made on Friday, October 28 through Sunday, October 30, as well. In addition, there may be periodic weekend closures of Essex Street east-bound at Washington Street, with traffic on Essex Street being detoured via Barton Square or Crombie Street.

Any closures or changes will be announced and posted at www.salem.com and www.salempd.org. For real-time traffic and road closure notices, visit twitter.com/SalemMAPolice and twitter.com/GetThruOctober. You do not need a Twitter account to follow these pages; if you do have a Twitter account, you can subscribe to both feeds at @SalemMAPolice and @GetThruOctober.

For all weekends in October, Essex Street from Hawthorne Boulevard to New Liberty Street will be closed to all through traffic with limited exception.

Access to the Museum Place Garage will only be available via Brown Street onto New Liberty Street.

Businesses and residents of the street will be allowed limited access to receive deliveries or access rear parking lots.

No on-street parking on this portion of Essex Street will be permitted during October weekends.

A Salem Police officer will be assigned to the area from approximately 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to assist residents and businesses with permitted vehicles entering and exiting the street.

Planned Road Closures

Oct. 1 & 2, 8 & 9, 15 & 16, 22 & 23, 29 & 30: There will be no on-street parking on Essex St from Hawthorne Blvd to New Liberty St from 6am to 10pm. This section of Essex St will also be closed to through traffic from 9am to 10pm. Access to Museum Place garage will be via Brown St

Oct. 4: The Le Boreal cruise ship arrives at the Footprint dock. The Salem Wharf parking lot on Blaney St will be closed during the ship’s one-day visit.

Oct. 6: Haunted Happenings Parade starts at 6:30pm at Shetland Office Park on Congress St. Anticipate traffic delays on Rte 114 and Rte 1A. Rte 1A from Derby St to Brown St will be closed to traffic from 6pm to 9pm. Other road closures are Congress St, Washington St, Essex St from Washington St to Union St, Central St, Front St, and Washington Sq W, N, and S. There will be no parking tow zones along the entire parade route.

Oct. 9: Witch Ride Motorcycle Ride. Rte 114 and Rte 1A will be impacted, but not closed to traffic, from Marblehead to New Derby St. Rte 1A, including Derby St, will be closed to traffic between Lafayette St and Congress St. Congress St will also be closed to traffic. Anticipate road closures and traffic delays from noon to 3pm. There will be a no parking tow zone on Derby St between Lafayette and Congress St from 11am to 3pm.

Oct. 30: The Seabourn Quest cruise ship arrives at the Footprint dock. The Salem Wharf parking lot on Blaney St will be closed during the ship’s one-day visit.

Oct. 31: Halloween events will include multiple road closures and heavy traffic delays for the entire day and night. Expect major traffic delays on Rte 114 and Rte 1A. Downtown streets will close to all traffic no later than 4pm. Road closures include: Essex St at Crombie St and Barton Sq to Union St, Washington St from New Derby St to Bridge St, Federal St from St. Peter’s St to North St, Washington Sq N and W from Essex St to Brown St, Hawthorne Blvd, Derby St, Rte 1A, Congress St near Pickering Wharf, Charter St, Central St, Front St, and Lafayette St from New Derby St to Front St. Bridge St at Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Dr will also close to all traffic between the westerly overpass ramps and Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Dr from 9:30pm to 11:30pm for the closing fireworks.

All information above is subject to change. Additional information may be available at Salem.com.